ORCOMM According to J.L.

Austin (1962), a

philosopher of language and the

SPEECH ACT
developer of the Speech Act

Speech acts are speakers' utterances which convey

Theory, there are three types of

meaning and make listeners do specific things. acts in every utterance, given the

Speech act is what a speaker does in uttering a

right circumtances or context.
sentence.

A speech act is an utterance that a speaker makes to

Three Types of Speech Act
achieve an intended effect. Some of the functions which

are carried out using speech acts are offering an

apology, greeting, complaint, request, invitation,
1. Locution Act
compliment or refusal. 2. Illocution Act

A speech act might contain just one word or several

3. Perlocution Act
words or sentences.
LOCUTION ACT ILLOCUTION ACT
(PERFORMING AN
(PERFORMING AN ACT IN

SAYING SOMETTHING)
ACT OF SAYING

SOMETHING)
The intention that a speaker has or the effect that the
It is the actual act of uttering; utterance has on hearers.
Example:
"Please do the dishes." Refers to the type of function a speaker intends to

accomplish in the course of producing an utterance.

A locutionary act has something to do with the simple act of

a speaker saying something. It is the social function of what is said.

Example: Classification of Illocution Act

"Pass me the glasses, please." 1. Assertive

meaning "Hand the glasses over to me" 2. Directive
.....he performs the locutionary act of uttering the sentence
3. Commissive
"Pass me the glasses, please." 4. Expressive
5. Declamation
 Assertive - A type of
Directive - A type of illocutionary act in Expressive - A type of

illocutionary act in which

which the speaker tries to make
illocutionary act in which the

addressee perform an action

the speaker expresses
speaker expresses his/her

belief about the truth of a

Some examples of a directive act are
feelings or emotional reactions.
proposition. asking, ordering, requesting, inviting,

advising, warning commanding,

Some examples of an

begging, questioning, recommending

expressive act are thanking,

Some examples of an
forbidding, ets.
apologozing, welcoming,

assertive act are

Commissive - A type of
hating, deploring,

suggesting, putting

illocutionary act which commits

congratulating, condoling, etc.
forward, swearing,

the speaker to doing something

Declaration - A type of illocutionary act which

boasting, concluding,
brings a change in the external situation.

in the future. Simply put, declarations bring into existence

admitting, notifying,

or cause the state of affairs which they refer

claiming, concluding,
Examples of a commissive act are
to.

denying, repporting,
promising, planning, vowing,
Some examples of declarations are blessing,

describing, affirming,
volunteering, betting, offering,
firing, baptizing, bidding, naming, appointing,

resigning, arresting, naming,

telling, predicting, etc. pledging, guaranteering, etc. excommunicating, etc.

PERLOCUTION ACT
(PERFORMING AN ACT BY

SAYING SOMETHING) Utterances have three kinds

The results or effects produce by means of a speakers'

of meanings: locutionary

illocutionary act.
which is the literal meaning

of an utterance; and

It is an act performed by saying something.

It is the resulting act of what is said.

perlocutionary force which

Locutionary Act - When a speaker utters

is the production of a

sentences with a particular meaning.

particular effect to the

Illocutionary Act - With particular intention or

force.
addressee.
Perlocutionary Act - In order to achieve a

certain effect on the hearer.